The objective of this study was to predict properties of pharmaceutical products prepared by a continuous twin-screw granulator (TSG) using compression test of wet granulated masses. The compressibility of granules prepared by the TSG were also investigated. The pressure transmission, G, which was obtained by the compression test of wet granulated masses, showed good correlation with granules and tablets properties. The relationships between G and the granule properties can be explained by densification of solid-liquid mixture followed by coalescence and layering of ungranulated powder and small granules. Based on the analysis of force-displacement profile, the tablet strength was found to be correlated with plastic energy and elastic recovery which was calculated using elastic energy and compression energy. The investigation of the compressibility of granules with or without binder in the formulation revealed that the improvement of binder dispersion, which was associated with increasing G, appeared to affect the tablet properties.

High-speed fabrication of colloidal crystal films composed of polystyrene particles was attempted by electrophoretic deposition. Flat, uniform colloidal crystal films were fabricated on ITO-coated glass or PET sheet substrates in several minutes by using an optimum ratio of a mixed solvent of water and ethanol. The obtained colloidal crystal films exhibited structural color predicted from the particle size. The structural color of the colloidal crystals immobilized by immersing silicone elastomer changed to different colors when the interlayer spacing was changed due to the swelling/shrinkage by dropping organic solvents or applying tensile stress on the films. Such structural color changes were applicable for a simple sensor to visualize strain.